Magnetic latch device.



F. A. SCHOENLE.

MAGNETIC LATCH DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.25. I916.

"1 ,238,345., Patented Aug. 28, 1917.

FRANK A.SCHOENLE, DE BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

MAGNETIC LATCH DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

EPatented Aug. 28, 1917.

Original application filed Detober 4, 1916, Serial No. 123,770. Divided and this application filed November 25, 1916. Serial No. 133,514.,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK A. SoHonNLn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Magnetic Latch Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in magnetic latch devices of the character shown and described in Patent No. 1,167 ,318, issued to me January 4, 1916.

The present invention has for its primary object to provide in a latch of the type referred to having an oscillatory latch bar, simple and effective means for automatically holding the latch bar either in its effective or inefi'ective position.

It is another and more particular object of the invention to provide a device for the above purpose embodying a holding dog mounted for rocking movement upon the fulcrum of the latch bar, spring actuated pawls to co-act with said dog, and means for yieldably holding the pawls in engagement with the dog.

It is a further general object of the invention to provide automatic holding means for the latch bar, which consists of relatively few elements of simple form, compactly mounted and arranged so that the entire mechanism may be operatively applied in a relatively small space.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the latch casing, the latch bar being shown in its release or ineifective position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, the latch bar being in its locking position;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the holding dog; and

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the pawl.

The latch device illustrated in the accompanying drawing is similar to that shown in my prior patent, and for the purposes of this description it will sufilce to state that this latch device includes a suitable base 5 upon which the two series of electromagnets 6 are arranged, the two series of magnets being disposed on inclined planes with respect to each other. In a frame 7 secured to the base 5, the ends of a rod or pin 8 are journaled, upon which the latch bar 9 is centrally fixed, said latch bar having its end portions disposed at a slight angle with respect to each other from the rod or pin 8. One end of the latch bar is provided with a locking tongue 10 for engagement with a movable part. It will be understood that the latch mechanism is suitably mounted and secured within a casing indicated at 11. In my co-pending application filed October 4, 1916, Serial No. 123,770, of which this application is a division and to which reference may be had, there is disclosed means for automatically and alternately opening and closing a circuit through the two se ries of electromagnets.

As above stated, it is the purpose of the present invention to provide simple and effective means for holding the latch bar in either its effective or ineffective position against casual movement after the electric circuit has been broken. To this end, I provide a dog 12 which is in the form of a flat, metal plate loosely mounted upon the rod or pin 8, the latch bar 9 being centrally provided with an opening 13 for the accommodation of the dog. The dogis formed with a narrow or attenuated end portion having an angularly projecting terminal lug 14. This dog is provided upon opposite sides of the rod 8 with a shoulder 15, the purpose of which will be presently stated. A wire spring 16 has a central coil 17 engaged upon the rod 8, the end portions of the spring being extended in intersecting relation and engaged upon the opposite edges of the terminal lug 15, as indicated at 17. An arm or bar 18 is fixed at one of its ends to therod 8 and the other end thereof is formed with an angularly projecting terminal lug 19 which extends between the extremities 17 of the spring 15. Adjacent to the pivot rod 8, a pair of pawls or detents 20 are pivotally mounted, as at 21, in the frame 7, each of said pawls being in the form of a curved, metal plate having a pointed or tapering end 22 for engagement with one of the shoulders 14 of the dog 12. Each pawl 20 is further provided adjacent to its free end with an angularly projecting arm 23 having a terminal hook or lug 24. A curved wire spring 25 is fixed intermediate of its ends, as at 26, upon the pivot of the pawls 20, and the extremities of this spring are engaged with the hooks or lugs 24- of the respective arms 23.

From the above, it will be readily understood that when the latch bar has been moved to its effective locking position by the energization of one pair of magnets, as seen in Fig. 2, the'arm 18 is moved by the pivot rod 8 in its rocking movement into engagement with one extremity 17 of the wire spring 16 so that the coil 17 in said spring is tensioned. The latch bar 9 subsequently engages the arm 23 on one pawl 20 and rocks said pawl against the action of the spring 25 to disengage the end 22 of the pawl from the shoulder 15 on the dog. The spring coil 17 then acts to oscillate the dog 12 upon the rod 8 and reverse its position so that the' spring 25 will operate to urge the end 22 of the other pawl 20 into engagement with the other of the shoulders 15 on the dog 12. The spring 15 operates to hold the dog 12 and the arm 18 against movement, while the spring 25 retains the locking pawl in en gagement with the lug 15 of the dog. Thus, the casual oscillating movement of the latch bar is effectually prevented, whereby the same is held in its effective or ineffective position independently of the electromagnets. It will, of course, be understood that the above action takes place in each oscillation of the latch bar.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of operation and several advantages of my invention will be clearly and fully understood. In the use of the improved latch for safety purposes, as on elevator doors and the like, the desirability of such an automatic holding means for the movable latch bar will be manifest. However, it is readily seen that the invention may also be adapted for use in looking doors, windows or the movable parts of machinery, or, in fact, wherever a quickacting and effective lock is desired. The

present invention is not, of course, restricted in its use to the particular mounting and relative arrangement of the latch bar and electro magnets disclosed in the accompanying drawing, as such arrangement is obviously susceptible of considerable variation as may be necessitated by the particular circumstances encountered in the application and use of the device. The several cooperating elements of my invention are likewise susceptible of considerable modification and change in their form and relative proportions, and it is, therefore, to be understood that I reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate alterations as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

co-acting with the dog to move the latter.

with the latch bar, and means to co-act with the dog and retain the latch bar in either its effective or ineffective position.

3. The combination with an oscillatory latch bar, of a dog mounted for rocking movement upon the fulcrum of the latch bar, and means to co-act with said dog and hold the latch bar in either its effective or inefiective position.

4. The combination with an oscillatory latch bar, of a dog mounted for rocking movement upon the fulcrum of the latch ,bar, and independently movable elements to co-act with said dog and hold the latch bar in either its efiective or ineffective position, said elements being actuated by the latch bar in its movement and disengaged from the dog.

5. The combination with an oscillatory latch bar, of a dog mounted for rocking movement upon the fulcrum of the latch bar, yieldable means coacting with the dog and rendered operative in the movement of the latch bar to rock said dog, and means to co-act with said dog and hold the latch bar in either its eifective or ineffective position.

6. The combination with an oscillatory latch bar, of a dog mounted for rocking movement upon the fulcrum of the latch bar, yieldable means co-acting with the dog and rendered operative in the movement of the latch bar to rock said dog, and springpressed pawls co-acting with the dog to hold the bar in either its effective or ineffective position, said pawls being engaged by the latch bar in its oscillatory movement and disengaged from said dog to permit of the movement of the latter.

7. The combination with an oscillatory latch bar, of a dog mounted for rocking movement upon the fulcrum of the latch bar, a detent 'coacting with the dog, an arm movable with the latch bar, yieldable means co-acting with the dog and engaged by said element and rendered operative in the initial movement of the latch bar, and pawls alternately co-acting with the dog to hold the same against movement, the eflective' pawl being subsequently engaged by the latch bar to release the dog, whereby the latter is rocked by the yieldable means and engaged by the other pawl to hold the latch bar in either its efl'ective or ineffective position.

8. The combination with an oscillatory latch bar, of a (log mounted for rocking movement upon the fulcrum of the latch bar, means yieldably connecting the dog to the latch bar for movement therewith, and spring-pressed pawls to alternately coact with said dog and hold the same against movement in the initial movement of the latch bar, the effective pawl being subse' quently engaged by the latch bar, whereby the movement of the dog is permitted to a position to be engaged by the other pawl.

9. The combination with an oscillatory.

latch bar, of a dog mounted for rocking movement upon the fulcrum of the latch bar, an arm movable with the latch bar, yieldable means operatively engaged with said arm and the dog and rendered operative in the initial movement of the latch bar, and spring-pressed pawls alternately engaging the dog in diflerent positions of the latch bar to hold the latter against casual movement, the effective pawl being moved by the latch bar in its oscillating movement out of locking engagement with the dog to permit the rocking movement of the latter into position to be engaged by the other pawl and hold the latch bar in its effective or ineffective position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my 

